A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the classic plays in the repertoire of the NCPA Drama Ensemble. Founded on July 28th, 2016, the NCPA Drama Ensemble has grown steadily under the thoughtful guidance of the CPC Leading Group and Administrative Leadership of the NCPA, and has achieved considerable development in recent years. To mark the 10th anniversary of its founding in a modest yet meaningful way, Artistic Director PU Cunxin led the Ensemble through multiple rounds of planning, with several proposals developed. Finally, they decided to produce a special version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a piece in their repertoire that would involve the entire Ensemble. As a follow-up to the play’s “Forest” version in terms of successful staging and stage design, the new production seeks to captivate young audiences with this Shakespearean comedy. It will be staged in a dreamlike atmosphere amid laughter, romance, and midsummer heat.
At the heart of this Shakespeare’s best-known “dream” lies love - as the characters tell us, “The course of true love never did run smooth”. The drama calls us to overcome winding, dark obstacles in pursuit of precious true love. Beyond that, the work boasts rich sub-themes, such as women awakening and the independence of selfhood, which combine with the central theme to form the substance of this classic comedy. One has not only the right to pursue love, but to be the master of one’s own life. Furthermore , the production will fully tap into the theatricality of the stage to promote interactivity and visual spectacle, blurring the boundaries between the performance and the audience, and between dreams and reality, delivering the audience an unforgettable and truly distinctive viewing experience.
This production incorporates the set design of the “Forest” version, and draws on the aesthetic features of highly modern structuralist architecture. Modular framework constructs virtual cityscapes, hills and woodlands, forming a half-real, half-illusory performance space that offers audiences a unique midsummer night’s dream exclusive to this July.
Presenter: National Centre for the Performing Arts
Producer: National Centre for the Performing Arts
Performed by NCPA Drama Ensemble
Executive Presenter/ Chief Planner: WANG Ning
Artistic Director: XU Xiaozhong
Chief Producers: ZHAO Haiying, ZHU Jing, ZHANG Yao, GUAN Jianbo, MA Rongguo, WANG Ban, LI Jin
Executive Producer: LI Jin
Playwright: William Shakerspeare
Translator: ZHU Shenghao
Directors: GUAN Bo, LIU Jiusi
Set Designer: ZHANG Kunpeng
Lighting Designer: TANG Ming
Costume Designer: NING Fangguo
Makeup Designer: LIN Ying
Choreographer: LIU Meichi
Composer: CAI Dongzhen
Sound Designer: ZHEN Cheng
Props Designer: WANG Weijun
Oberon: DONG Wenliang, SUN Lishi
Titania: XU Zixuan, YANG Qi
Theseus: DONG Wenliang, GUO Shuojie
Hippolyta: MAO Xiya, WANG Qianyu
Egeus: WU Song, SUN Lishi
Lysander: ZHANG Xuewen, LI Zhaoyang
Hermia: YAO Dingzhi, LIU Beibei, LIU Xiaowen
Demetrius: GUO Shuojie, LANG Yingbo
Helena: WANG Qianyu, MAO Xiya
Puck A: LIU Xiaowen, ZHAO Ling
Puck B: ZHANG Qiao, FENG Yang
Bottom: LI Zhaoyang, YAO Yu
Quince: WANG Yiqing, YANG Qi
Flute/Thisbe: YAO Yu, FENG Yang
Starveling/The Moon: LIU Beibei, MAO Xiya
Snout/ Wall: WANG Wenjie
Snug/Lion: LIU Beibei, MA Qinglong
Hedgehog: WU Song
Cobweb: MA Qinglong
Moth: YAO Dingzhi
Mustardseed: ZHANG Qiao, YAO Dingzhi
Peaseblossom: WANG Wenjie
Longhorn: FENG Yang, MAO Xiya
Guests: PU Cunxin, DING Liuyuan
As Duke Theseus prepares for his marriage to Hippolyta, he is interrupted by a courtier, Egeus. Egeus asks for the Duke to intervene in a dispute. His daughter, Hermia, will not agree to marry Demetrius (whom Egeus has chosen for her) because she loves a gentleman named Lysander. The Duke asks Hermia to be obedient to her father. According to the law of Athens, he offers her one of two options: she must either die or accept a celibate life. Naturally upset with the offer, Lysander and Hermia escape from Athens but soon lost their way in the woods.
Nearby, Oberon, King of the Fairies, is intending to make a fool of his queen. He sends his fairy servant, Puck, to fetch a purple flower with juice that makes people fall in love with the next creature they see. Somehow, Puck mistakenly drips the juice to Lysander and Demetrius, making them both fall in love with Hermia’s friend - Helena. Hermia gets jealous and confused about the lack of attention paid to her.
Oberon and Puck watch the chaos, and Oberon commands Puck to put it right again. The lovers’ arguments have tired them all out as they have chased one another through the woods. After the four lovers get exhausted and fall asleep, Puck places the flower juice on Lysander's eyes. When he awakes, he sees Hermia and falls in love with her once again.
In the end, everyone ends up with the one they love(Lysander with Hermia and Demetrius with Helena), and the story comes with a happy ending.
*Please purchase tickets through authorized channels to avoid counterfeiting. Before completing your purchase, please verify the performance date, time, venue, and seat number carefully. Performance tickets are time-sensitive and limited in availability. Once a transaction has been completed, tickets are non-exchangeable, non-refundable and cannot be reissued if lost. Please double-check all ticketing details and securely retain your physical ticket or electronic order. If you are unable to attend due to personal reasons, please make your own arrangements regarding the use of your tickets. We appreciate your understanding as any inconvenience caused.
*The cast, programme, or other performance details are subject to change and shall be based on the live performance. In the event of major adjustments - such as changes to the performance date or lead cast - please refer to the official announcements issued by the NCPA and follow the relevant procedures as instructed.
*The NCPA opens 90 minutes before performances, and 60 minutes before art education lectures and similar events. Auditorium entry begins 45 minutes before performances. For all performances and events, the Northern entrance serves as the sole public entrance. Please ensure that ticket scanning and security screening are completed prior to entry, and allow sufficient time to avoid delays.
*Tickets must be retained in their original, intact condition. Admission will be denied for tickets lacking a stub, or bearing any alterations, obscured information, or defacement. Each ticket is valid for a single entry on the date of the performance. For certain performances, presentation of original valid identification documents is required. Admission will be granted only when the ticket information corresponds with the presented identification.
*Recommended admission height: 1.2 meters and above. Special provisions may apply to certain performances or events, as indicated on the corresponding ticketing page.
*All attendees are required to undergo security screening upon entry. Smoking and open flames are strictly prohibited within the NCPA premises. Prohibited items include, but not limited to, firearms and replicas, controlled knives, flammable or explosive substances, toxic or hazardous materials, corrosive substances, and radioactive materials. Any prohibited items discovered will be handed over to public security authorities.
*For safety and hygiene reasons, the NCPA does not provide storage services for food, beverages, or similar items. The following items are not permitted inside the NCPA: food and drinks, flags & banners, electronic cigarettes, power banks exceeding 20000mAh, flowers, recording or photography equipment, and oversized luggage.
*Attendees are requested to address appropriately. Admissions will be denied to individuals who are improperly attired or under the influence of alcohol.
*If you are late, please wait quietly in the audience waiting area. Entry will be permitted under the guidance of ushers during appropriate intermissions or between movements, and you are requested to take the nearest available seat with minimal disturbance. For concerts consisting of a single piece - either for the entire performance or a complete half - late arrivals and audience who leave midway will not be admitted.
*All attendees are requested to observe proper performance etiquette. Please keep quiet and remain seated throughout the entire performance. Mobile phones should be turned off or set to silent mode, and calls should not be made in the auditorium. Photography, audio, or video recording of the performance is strictly prohibited without prior permission. The use of flashlights, including phone flashlights, is not allowed.
* After the performance, please exit the auditoriums in an orderly manner. Loitering is discouraged.
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